Locking mechanism for internal-combustion engines



Jan. 11 1927- DOUGLAS LOCKING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE SFiled June 27 1925 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1,613,875 Jan- 11 1927- I H. A.DOUGLAS LOCKING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 271925 Sheets -Sheet 2 1,613,875 11 1927 H. A. DOUGLAS LOCKING MECHANISMFOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 27, 1925 s Sheets-Shet sUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS, or BBONSON, MICHIGAN.

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed June 27, 1925.

My invention relates to power plants and has for its object theprovision of apparatus whereby the source of energy that is employed foroperating the engines or motors of such plants may be locked out ofconnection with such engines or motors. My invention is of particularutility in connection with those power plants which are employed tooperate automotive vehicles and which include internal combustionhydrocarbon engines. In practicing my invention in connection with suchengines I employ a spring for turning the throttle valve to a closedposition. Step by step mechanism is employed for turning this throttlevalve to an open position, the number of steps required for this purposebeing known to the operator and those in confidence with him to guardagainst the unauthorized use of the automotive vehicle equipped with theapparatus. The step by step mechanism for placing the throttle in openposition is desirably operated by an elcctroma-gnet. A secondelectromagnet is employed for removing the first magnet from itsassociation with the step by step mechanism to permit the aforesaidspring to function. I also desirably couple a master ignition switchcontact with the mechanism that governs the operation of the aforesaidthrottle valve whereby, when this throttle valve is closed the masterignition switch is opened, and when this throttle valve is opened themaster ignition switchis closed. 7

The invention will be more fully explained in connection with theaccompanying drawin which Fig. lis a diagrammatic illustration of thepreferred embodiment of the invention as employed in connection with anautomobile; Fig. 2 is a rear view'of the preferred form of switch whichcontrols the circuits of the magnets; Fig. 3 is the front view of theswitch with parts broken away; Fig. l is a sectional view on line 4-4:of Fig. 6, of the switch; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig.6; Fig. 6. is a sectional view of the switch on line 6 6 of Fig. l; 7 isa detail view of a part of the switch structure takenon line 7-7 of Fig. 4-; Fig. 8 is another axial sectional view of the switch on line 88of Fig. 4; Fig. 9

is a sectional view of a part of the switch structure taken on line 99of Fig. 6 Fig. 10 is a view partially in elevation and partially insection illustrative of the self operating mechanical means which serveswhen Serial No. 40,081.

free to function to close the added throttle valve, the locking andreleasing magnets and associated mechanism being also illustrated; Fig.11 is a sectional view on line 11-11 ofFig. 10; Fig. 12 is an end View,with a small portion in section, illustrating the ignition switch; Fig.13 is a sectional view on line 13-13 of Fig. 10; and Fig. 14 is asectional view on line l e-14 of Fig. 13.

The power plant illustrated includes an internal combustion enginehaving four cylinders, 1, 2, 8 and 4,. each cylinder having an ignitioncircuit inclusive of the sparking terminals 5, included in a conductorgrounded at one end and connected with a contact 6 at its other end. Thefour contacts 6 of the four ignition circuits are arranged in a circularrow which is concentric with a revoluble switching arm 7 adaptedtoengage the contacts 6 in succession. The switch arm 7 is carried upon ashaft 8 which is driven by the engine through the intermediation of anengine driven pulley 9 and a pulley 10 driven by the pulley 9 throughthe intermediation of the bolt 11, The shaft 8 also carries a circuitinterrupting cam wheel 12 that serves to vibrate the circuitinterrupting switch 13 whichis included in an inducing ignition circuitarranged to be supplied with current from the battery or generator 14 ofdirect current. be traced from the battery 14, which is grounded,through the contacts 15 and 16, when these contacts are bridged by theswitch member 17, the inducing winding 18, the switch 13, to thegrounded contact of this switch. The switch 13 and its contact aredesirably shunted by a grounded condenser 19 in accordance with commonpractice. The switch 7 is in the induced circuit which may be tracedfrom the switch 13 and its grounded-contact through the induced coil 20,the switch arm 7, the particular contact button 6 which happens to beengaged by the switch arm 7 to the sparking terminals 5 pertaining tothe engaged contact 6.

The liquid fuel, usually gasoline, is supplied from the tank 21 throughthe pipe 22 This inducing circuit may to the fluid chamber 23 of thecarburetor,

the admission of the liquid gasoline to this fluid chamber beinggoverned by a needle valve 24 that is controlled by a float 25 in saidchamber, in accordance with common practice. The fluid chamber 23'communicates with the intake piping 26 that is concontrol this valve inaccordance with the purpose of my invention. This valve is mounted toturn upon and turns with a shaft 33. Thepipingg26 is notched where thevalve 32 is located so that this valve may remain closed. during apartof its revolution. A coiled spring. 33 serves to place the valve in itsclosed position. When this valve is to be opened" it is moved step bystep throughout the portion of its range of movement in which it remainsclosed, the step by step movement of the valve being continued to placeit in its fully opened position. This step by step mechanism operates inopposition to the coiled spring 33.

In theembodiment of the invention illustrated, the step by stepmechanism is inclusiveiof an arcuate ratchet 3a which is fixed upon theshaft 33. This ratchet is engaged by a pawl 35 carried upon the armature36 of an unlocking magnet 37.

The switch, to be hereinafter described, which governsv the magnet 37,furnishes eight impu'lses in turning the shaft c3 against the "force ofthe spring 33 to openv the valve 32, thisval ve remainingclosed duringseveral of these impulses and being brought to its fully open positionby the remainder of the impulses. The switching mechanism that governsthe unlocking magnet 37 also governs the locking magnet 38, the switchrendering the circuit 01 the magnet 3'? ineffective' when it renders thecircuit of the magnet 38 effective. When the magnet is energized itattracts its armature to withdraw the holding'dog 40 upon this armaturefrom engagement with the ratchet 3a. The spring 33, against the force ofwhich the magnet 37 turns the shaft 33, is then "tree to unwind to placethe valve 32 in its closed position. If the magnet should be given morethan the predetermined number 01 impulses,'the"pin 41 upon the ratchetwould 'engage the plate 42 which is ournaled upon the shaft 33, the.plate being thereby turned to bring the arm 43 thereon into engagementwiththe detent 44 upon the armature the arm 43 then depressing thearmature 39 to disengage the dog it) from the ratchet 3i, whereupon thespring 33 will unwind and place the valve32 in closed position. da henthe valve 32 is placed in' its fully open posi tion, the shaft 33engages the contact 17 with the two contacts 15 and 16 to close theignition circuit, the engine of the power plant thus not being operableeven though the valve 32 may be partially open, until the ignitioncircuit is thus closed.

The switching. mechanism for governing the circuits of the unlockingmagnet 37 and the locking magnet 38 is diagrammatically illustrated inFig. 1, and is desirably con- The switch shown is inclusive of a'ndrical casing d6 closed at one end by a disc of insulation l6 andassembled at its other end 'ith a mounting plate 47 which may beagtached, for example, to the dashboard or an automobile. The disc 46also constitutes a contact carrier, as will appear, and is preferablyassembled with the casing by means of bayonet pins 48 provided thereonthat are received in bayonet slots 49 provided in the casing. A locl: isprovided which has an enclosing casing 50 that is in fixed relation withthe casing 46. Aolurality oi inwardly spring pressed locking plungers 51are carried by the shell 52 of the lock, this shell and the lock casing50 being in fixedrelati'on. A lock barrel 53 carries tumblers (at thatare respectively aligned with the plungers 51. When the key 55 isinserted said tumblers and plungers meet where the barrel 53 engages theshell 52, permitting the key to turn said barrel. This barrel is received within the central opening of an in sulating disc 56' whichconstitutes a contact actuator, as will appear. A metallic contact ring57 is assembled with the disc by means of the spring. barrels 58 whichare in lined r lation with said ring 57 and which are in slidingengagement with the disc These s ring barrels contain spring pressedplunge 53, which are thrust i'orwardly to engage the disc 56. Thesprings 58 that press upon said plungers forwardly, also pr s upon therear ends of the barrels, these barrel ends constituting contacts 59,60, 61

and ()2, chagrammatically indicated in F 1g.

1 as fingers projecting radially from the ring but in practice desirablyprojecting from the rear flat face of the ring.

A triangular metallic plate 63 is formed with acontact ca that islocated upon the common of the lock barrel the-disc 56 and ring 5?, thiscontact 6% being in constant engagement with the terminal contactcarried by the insulating disc 46, which not only serve; to close thecasing 46 but also serves as a contact carrier. The metallic contactplate 63 also carries another contact 66 which is brought into and outof on. gement with the segn'icntal metallic contact (3? that is coaxialwith the barrel 53, the plate 63 being also assembled with the 56 bymeans of the spring barrels 63 63,, these spring barrels ed by he platestructed as illustrated in Fi 's. 2 to 9 inclurier.

sliding engagement with this disc. Forwardly spring pressed plungers69'are contained in the barrels 68, these plungers pressing upon thedisc 66 and' forcing the concessible for engagement upon the inner faceof the contact carrier 46 and being electrically connected by asegmental metallic strap 74 upon the rear face of said contact car-Another group of contacts 75, 76, 77 and 78 are also in the circle ofrotation of the contacts 59 .to 62, these contacts 75 to 78 being alsoaccessible for engagement upon the inner face of the contact carrier andbeing electrically connected by a metallic strap 79 on the rear face ofsaid contact carr1er.

lVhen the key is inserted the contact actuator 56 may be turned therebyin a uniform direction so that the contacts 59 to 62 inclusive may eachsweep over and engage each of the contacts 7 O to 73 inclusive and eachof the contacts 75 to 78 inclusive, this movement being clockwise asviewed from the front of the switch and counterclockwise as viewed fromFig. 1. l/Vhen the key 55 is withdrawn the plungers 51 enter the lockbarrel 53 to hold this look barrel from rotation and, through the mediumof the lock barrel, to hold the-contact actuator 56 from rotation. thecircuit is opened at 66, 67, as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1.lVhenthe key is inserted the. lock barrel 53 is released whereupon thekey is turned clockwise as viewed in Figs. 3 and 6, to turn the contactactuator 56 and the contact plate 63 clockwise as view-ed in therefigures, but counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 1. The first result isto connect the contacts 66 and 67, whereby a circuit section isestablished tracing from the ground to the contact 67, the contact 66,the body of the plate 63, the contact 64,the contact 65, and theconductor 80. A conductor 81' connects conductor 80 with the metallicstrap 79, the unlocking magnet 37 being included in the conductor 81. Aconductor 112 is connected with the conductor 80, this conductor 82being grounded through the locking magnet 38. NVhen the contacts 66 and67 are initially engaged no circuit is entirely complete, but when thekey is moved further, the contacts 71 and 59 are engaged and contacts 61and 78 are engaged, whereupon the grounded battery 14 is connected withthe conductor 81, this bat- In this adjustment tery being connected withthe metallic strap 74 by the conductor 83 to complete the circuit of theunlocking magnet 37. r This unlocking magnet is energized to move thesegmental ratchet 34 one tooth space to turn the shaft 33 to acorresponding extent against the force of the valve closing spring 33.WVhen the key 55 is moved further the circuit thus established is brokento restore the pawl 35. The ratchet 34, however, is held by the dog 40.When the key 55 is moved a little further the contacts 59 and 72are'connected, contacts and 7 O are connected, and contacts 61 and 77are connected, whereupon the unlocking magnet 37 is again energized tomove the ratchet 34 another tooth space. In like manner, as the key 55is continued to be turned, the contacts 59 and 73 are connected,contacts 60 and 71 are connected, contacts 61 and 76 are connected, andcontacts 62 and 78 are connected, again to energize the magnet 37; thecontacts 60 and 72 are connected, the contacts 61 and 75 are connected,and contacts 62 and 77 are connected again to energize the magnet 37:the contacts 60 and 73 are connected, and contacts 62 and 76 areconnected to again energize the magnet 37; the contacts 61 and 70 areconnected, and contacts 62 and are connected, again to energize themagnet 37 contacts 61 and 71 are connected and contacts 59 and 78 areconnected again to energize the magnet 37; and contacts 61 and 72 areconnected, contacts 62 and 70 are connected, and contacts 59 and 7 7 areconnected, whereupon the magnet 37 is given its final energization. Thecontact 66 is now at the upper end of the contact 67. A slight furthermovement of the key will bring th e contact 66 out of engage ment withthe contact 67 to open the circuit between the ground that is connected,with the contact 67 and the conductor 80. The magnet 37 is thereuponreleasedbut the dog 40 still continues to hold the ratchet 34. As

a consequence of the intermittent movements of the'shaft 33 effected bythe magnet 37, the valve 31 is moved to fully open position. Thiscondition is manifested to the operator of the automobile by means ofthe spring pressed plunger 84 upon the actuator 56 which clicks in itspocket 86 formed in the front end wall of the casing'46. Whenever thecircuit of the unlocking magnet 37 was closed, a. conductivelycontinuous connection between the magnet 38 and, the battery 14 was alsoestabli2hed, but the magnet 38 was prevented from being energized due tothe shunted ground connection extending from the contact 67. In orderthat the locking magnet 38 will not be energized when the circuit of theunlocking magnet 37 is finally broken by the separation of the contacts66 and .67, the ring 57 should be disconnected from the battery 14before the contact 66 the shaft 83-.to an extent sufiicient to placethis valve in its closed position. This result secured by turning thekey in its previous direction a suiiicient distance to connect thecontact 61 with the contact 73, con tact 62' with contact 71,- toconnect contact 59 with 76, and contact with contact 78, whereupon thecircuit for the locking magnet S8 is established. The circuit for theunlocking magnet 37 is also established but this magnet is not affectedwhen magnet 38 is energized, the latter magnet being of sufficiently'less resistance than magnet 37 as to shunt magnet 37. Rotation of thekey 55 is desirably thereafter continued until the spring pressedplunger 8% clicks into the pocket 87 upon the front end wall of thecasing 46. During this further movement of the key 55 the locking magnet88 is in cidentally intermittently energized with no efl ect.

Iclaim- 1. The combination with an internal combustion engine includinga fuel supply conduit and a valve movable to control the flow of fuelthrough said conduit; of electro magnetic means operable to movesaidvalve step by step, and a switch controlling the operation of saidelectro-magnetic means.

2.. The combination with an internal combustion engine including a fuelsupply conduit and a valve movable to control the flow of fuel throughsaid conduit: of an electro magnetically operated pawl and ratchetmechanism for moving said valve, and means controlling the operation ofsaid mechanism.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine including anignition circuit and a switch movable to control said circuit; ofelectro-magnetic means operable to move said switch step by step, andmeans controlling the operation of said electro-magnetic means.

4. The combination with an internal combustion engine including anignition circuit and a switch movable to control said circuit; of anelectro-magnetically operated pawl and ratchet mechanism for mpving saidswitch, and means controlling the operation of said mechanism.

The combination with an internal combustion engine including a fuelsupply conduit and a valve movable to control the flow of fuel throughsaid conduit of yieldable means constantly urging said valve towards aclosed position, electro-magnctic means for moving said valve step bystep to open position against the influence of said yieldable closingmeans, and means controlling the operation of said electro-magneticmeans.

6. The combination with an internal combustion engine including a fuelsupply conduit and a valve movable to open and closed positions tocontrol the flow of fuel through. said conduit; of anelectro-magnetically operated pawl and ratchet'mechanism for moving saidvalve to one of its positions, yieldable means for moving said valve tothe other of its positions, releasable means for holding said valveagainst movement during the intervals between the intermittentoperations of said pawl and ratchet mechanism, electro-mag-netic meanscontrolling the operation of said holding means, and a switchcontrolling the'operation of said pawl andv ratchet mechanism and saidholding means.

7. The combination with an internal combustion engine including anignition circuit and a switch movable to control said circuit; yieldablemeans constantly urging said switch towards an open position,electromagnetic means for moving said switch step by step to closedposition against the influence of said yieldable switch opening means,and means controlling the operation of said electro-m-agnetic means- 8.The combination with an internal com-- bustion engine including a fuelsupply conduit and a valve movable to control the flow of fuel throughsaid conduit; of electro-magnetic means operable when intermittentlyenergized to move said valve step by step, and a switch controlling theop eration of said electro-magnetic means, said switch including arotatable part and means whereby continuous rotation of said partintermittently energizes said electrical means.

9. The combination with an internal combustion engine including a fuelsupply conduit and a valve movable to control the flow of fuel throughsaid conduit; of a spring constantly urging said valve towards closedposition, a ratchet fixed to said valve, an electro-magnet including anarmature, a pawl carried by said armature cooperating with said ratchet,means for intermittently energizing said magnet whereby said pawl andratchet serves to move said valve step by step towards openposition,-and a releasable dog for holding said valve against closingmovement during the intervals between the intermittent operations ofsaid magnet.

10. The combination with an internal combustion engine including a fuelsupply conduit and a valve movable to control the flow of fuel throughsaid conduit: of a spring constantly urging said valve towards closedposition, a'ratchet fixed-to said valve, an electro-magnet including anarmature, a pawl carried. by said armature cooperating with saidratchet, means for intermittently energizing said magnet whereby saidpawl and ratchet serves to move said valve step by step towards openposition, areleasable dog for holding said valve against closingmovement during the intervals between the intermittent operations ofsaid magnet, and means whereby said dog is released to permit saidspring to close said valve in the event said magnet is intermittentlyenergized more than a predetermined number of times.

11. The combination with an internal combustion engine including amember movable between two positions in one of which it permitsoperation of the engine and in the other of which it prevents operationof the engine; of mechanism operable intermittently to move said memberstep-by-step to a position in which it permits operation of the engine,and means controlling the opera-- tion of said mechanism.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe 2 my name.

' HARRY A. DOUGLAS.

